Catch Report - Ilfracombe - 22nd May 2018 (5)

Date: 22-05-2018

Time of day: Evening

Location: Ilfracombe

Mark: Capstone

Low Tide: 06:02(2.21m) 18:32(2.46m)

High Tide: 12:26(7.64m)

Time fished from: 18:15

Time fished to: 22:25

Weather: Sunny with very little wind.

Sea: Fairly clear with just a small swell of a couple of feet.

Method: float

Bait: Frozen mackerel strips

Caught (weight): 3 Pollock (0lbs 5oz, Guessed), 2 Pollock (0lbs 12oz, Guessed)

The Session: This wasn't ideal timing for this mark because the tide was still going out and although it is fishable I prefer fishing it when the tide has been coming in for a couple of hours at least, but I'd been ill for a week so I was eager to get out before the bad weather arrived while I felt well enough to.

I set up my float rod and set the depth at around 7feet deep and once baited I cast it about 30 yards out for the fist cast and varied the distance direction and depth (between 5 and 10 feet). It was quite a while before had a bite and typically I had looked away and only just saw the float coming back to the surface again. Ove the next few casts this happened again and I could not strike quick enough to hook them. I had thought that maybe the fish were very small.

It was an hour after beginning that the first bite I could connect to came. The float went under really fast and disappeared, a sign the fish had really took the bait. I manged to hook this one and was a little pleased that it was a typical size for this mark, it indicated that the fish were still doing well around this area seeing so many of the same size year after year.

Still the bites came but very slowley and still they were hard to strike at because of the way the fish grabbed the bait then quickly let go. When I float fish I always use a hooklength of 3 to 4 foot long to minimise the potential of spooking the fish as it sees the float following it as it dives once grabbing the bait, so I didn't think there was anything I could do except change hook sizes, but I didn't want to go too small as I believe there is a chance of hooking a very big fish, one day from this deep mark.

Nearly another hour into the session and I hook the next pollock, a similar size to the first. Another half an hour passed before the next fish came along. The tide had been coming in for two hours and I moved along to a higher spot, changed the depth to around 14 foot and decided to sit it out for a bigger fish as the light faded.

And that is what happened. At 10pm, with the light almost gone completely and the float being lit up by my head torch turned on with the weakest beam I sensed it was being pulled about and then I couldn't see it. I lifted the rod and immediately knew a near 1lber was on. It wasn't long after when the float shot under again and I felt the rod tip bend before I reacted, and I lifted out another pollock of similar size.

Happy with those fish I decided to pack up. I'll be returning again when the tide is how I usually like fishing this mark.

Tackle used (price) [ time since first used ]:

Set up 1: Rod: Shakespeare Alpha X Travel 11ft telescopic Fixed Spool (£20.94) [ > 4 years 1 months ]

Reel: Lineaffe Carp 60 Baitrunner Fixed Spool (£12.00) [ > 1 years 9 months ]

Line: Maxima Chameleon 20lb (£17.99) 600m

Hooks: Sakuma Stinger 2 (£15.00) 100

Hooklength: Maxima Clear 15lb (£4.00) 100m

Tackle: Fladen Pencil Float 210mm (£2.00)